Home
by MoonlightGardenias
Summary: Grissom does something unexpected but it isn't like Sara's about to complain.


**Author's Note: **There's not a whole lot to be said about this one other than it's been in my head or partially written for a few months now. Basically, I have an issue with Grissom and Sara living on different continents (as I'm assuming most GSR fans do) and I wanted to create a possible scenario in which that situation could be changed without one of them sacrificing everything.

A huge thanks goes to Keegan Elizabeth, my beta partner in crime. For putting up with me talking about the story I don't know how many times before finally shutting up and actually writing it, and then for taking the time to read through it and helping me make the changes that were needed. I owe you one.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own CSI or the characters used here. I just like taking them out to play with sometimes.

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><p>The sun casts a pale glow across the sky. With another shift done, her only thought is of going home and showering before collapsing headfirst into bed.<p>

It's not until she's almost home that the shrill noise of her phone breaks the peaceful silence she'd been driving in. While she'd normally ignore it until she came to a safe place to pull over and talk, the name flashing on the screen causes her to answer immediately. Stifling a yawn, Sara feels a smile begin to ghost across her face.

"Hi."

She hears him sigh in return and can make out certain movements in the background. She recognizes that he's getting ready for a lengthy conversation and normally she wouldn't complain but after the last twenty-four hours she wants nothing more than to simply go home and rest her tired eyes.

"Hi, sweetheart. How are you?"

"I suppose you could say I've felt better." Sara shrugs and turns a corner. One block from home. "Listen, I'm almost home. Would you mind if I took a quick shower before calling you back? It's been a difficult couple of days to say the least." She laughs, though she doesn't find it all that amusing, because difficult doesn't begin to cover her last shift, and her tired brain works hard to calculate the time difference between Las Vegas and Paris. "Unless that's too late for you?"

"I can sacrifice sleep for you, you know that," Grissom replies. He hears her sigh again and he frowns despite the fact she can't see his concern. "Are you sure there isn't more going on? Anything I should know about?"

Sara pulls into the drive and shuts the engine off, leaning her head against the headrest and closing her eyes, content in hearing nothing but his voice, even if that voice is miles away. "I miss you. I was thinking of asking for a few days soon, if nothing big comes up."

Grissom laughs quietly on the other end. "Why don't you rest first, dear? I don't like you working yourself so hard."

Sara cradles the phone close to her ear as she unlocks the front door, too distracted in her everyday movements to notice the lights or the smell of waffles and her favorite tea wafting in from the kitchen. "I know, Gil. It's not like I'm not taking care of myself. Besides, I don't think they'd miss me too much if I—" she stops mid-sentence, phone still at her ear as she stares at the man standing before her.

Leaning in the doorway of the kitchen, Grissom lifts the phone away from his ear, shutting it and slipping it into his pocket before taking a step closer.

"How did you...? When did you—?" Sara shakes her head, dropping her purse on the floor as the perplexed look on her face slowly morphs into a smile. It's then that she walks across the room and wraps him in a tight embrace.

"Welcome home." Grissom whispers into her hair, planting a kiss on her forehead as he holds her close.

Words seem to escape her, almost as if she'd never been thinking them, and everything insideof her changes. It's not sleep she wants so much as being as near to him as possible. She's been keeping a tally in her head of how long it'd been since they were last together but suddenly none of that matters. The number seems irrelevant now that he's here with her. Her brain is still trying to process that he's in Vegas and she hasn't even thought to ask how long he'll be staying.

All that occupies her mind is that she can smell the familiar scent of his cologne and can feel his arms wrapped around her. She closes her eyes, finding pleasure and taking comfort in the solid feel of his body pressed against hers. He's home.

"Honey," he murmurs too soon, breaking her reverie.

"Mmhm?"

"As much as I love holding you in my arms again, I better let you go before something burns."

She sniffs the air again, this time the savory scents registering in her senses. "You're cooking?"

He laughs again before pulling her even closer. "I figured you'd be hungry by the time you got here. I can put it up for later if you'd like."

Sara pulls back and kisses him softly. She shakes her head with a sigh. "No, that's fine. We can eat."

"Why don't you go take that shower first? You've had a long night. Everything should be done by the time you're out."

Once she comes back freshly cleaned from her shower, he pours her a cup of her favorite tea and hands her a plate, leaving the dishes to be done later.

A short while later she comes back freshly cleaned from her shower, and he pours her a cup of her favorite tea. She smiles her thanks and takes a seat, her eyes following his movements as he finishes up breakfast and brings everything over to the table. He's already decided that the dishes can wait.

The entire time they're eating they're quiet, enjoying the simplicity of being in the same place. It's not until afterward that he pulls her feet into his lap, massaging them as he fills her in on the latesthappenings in Paris. He's halfway through when he notices her propping her head up with one hand, eyes fighting to stay open. He pats her leg and sighs.

"You should go get some sleep. I need to take a shower myself before I do that, too," Grissom says, running a thumb across her ankle.

Sara nods before settling into the couch for a few minutes of silence. Her fingers trace the rim of her mug and it's as she's doing this that she hears Grissom's phone ringing from their bedroom. She nearly laughs at the thought as her bare feet pad across the floor in search of the device, because it hasn't felt like _their_ room in a long time.

"Hello?"

"Oh. Yes, hello—" the voice on the other end seems startled and she can hear the shuffling of papers, as if the man on the end of the line is searching for something. "I was trying to reach Gil Grissom."

"He's not available at the moment, but this is his wife. I could take a message if you'd like," Sara replies, frowning in confusion because she could've sworn the number on the screen had a Vegas area code, and she didn't think anyone else knew he was there.

"Yes, of course. I'm Richard Albot with UNLV. Your husband requested some information that I had my assistant fax him regarding the open position here at our university. He informed me that he'd get back to us as soon as possible about whether or not he was interested, in hopes of setting up a proper meeting."

Sara arches her brow, pausing in her moving back to the door. UNLV. Grissom? Surely he'd mention something that important, right? They'd spoken at least three times that past week and he hadn't said anything about anyone from the university contacting him. "Yes, I understand," she replies, hoping the surprise in her voice isn't evident. "I'll make sure he calls you. Thank you, Mr. Albot."

There isn't enough time for the possibilities to dwell in her mind because a few minutes later the door to the bathroom opens, steam billowing out as Grissom adjusts the towel hung loosely around his waist. When Sara doesn't say anything for a few moments he begins to worry. "Is everything alright?"

She opens her mouth to speak—to ask just why someone from the university would possibly have an interest in him; much less the other way around—but the sight of him standing there overpowers her curiosity. At least, for now. "Yeah," she smiles, trying her best to assure him it's the truth. "I'm fine."

"Are you sure?" he asks in return, running a tired hand through his still moist hair as he crosses the room to stand in front of her. He cups her cheek with one palm, rubbing his thumb slowly across her skin. It's an action that only lasts a few seconds but this is of course the way they communicate.

Rather than voicing her concerns she closes her eyes, momentarily losing herself in his touch. "It's been a long night. Day." Sara laughs it off before leaning in and pressing a kiss to his lips.

"Then you should get some sleep. Just let me finish getting ready," Grissom replies before turning to his open suitcase, rifling through until he finds something proper to wear. He finds it interesting how familiar these movements have become, and as he can practically feel Sara's eyes watching his every move, he thinks of how long he's been away from her—from home.

With an old t-shirt and sweat pants as pajamas, Sara lifts the comforter and lies down next to him. His arms slip around her easily and she's thankful for the little movements they've become so accustomed to even with the time apart. "I missed you. I know I said that earlier, but—"

Grissom puts a finger to her lips, nodding silently, understanding completely. There's no need for useless banter or empty words to fill silence between them. Instead, he pulls her face closer and kisses her, wanting the moment to last. He presses his forehead against hers and breathes in deep. "For the record, I've missed you too."

Together they drift off to sleep, neither bothering to set an alarm.

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><p>By the time they awake it's the middle of the afternoon. Neither seems to mind and with renewed energy, they don't bother getting up from bed. Trading layers of clothing for skin on skin contact, they revel in the chance to become familiar again. Their time apart has done nothing to erase the feeling she gets when he kisses that spot on her neck or the way he can't help but mutter her name when she wraps her legs around him.<p>

They fall asleep again in each other's arms, though this time it's only temporary. Sara's the first one to get up, in search of something to drink. When she comes back to the room Grissom's still sleeping and she decides to sit in the living room instead, knowing the travel from the previous day probably wore him out more than he would care to admit.

She balances her mug on her knee, letting the warmth of it curl around her fingers, soothing her. It is only now that she lets her mind wander, thoughts of the phone call from earlier that day coming back to her, swarming with the possibilities. She's torn between hurt and confusion because he's kept this from her, and happiness at the idea of being able to see him more.

They have after all been living on opposite sides of the globe for months, and save for a few visits most of their time has been spent apart. Despite that, she considers them a modern couple, skipping the sentimental and focusing only on the things that actually matter.

The sound of his feet shuffling across the floor break her from her thoughts and she nearly jumps upon feeling his hand clasping her shoulder. "Hey."

"Why didn't you wake me?" Grissom asks, and despite the sleep in his eyes and his disheveled hair she couldn't find him more attractive.

Sara breathes in deep, steeling herself for the conversation she knew would happen eventually. She waits until he's sitting next to her to begin, hoping for the strength to say the right words. "I didn't want to bother you. Also…I should've told you this sooner, but something interesting happened earlier."

He frowns, suddenly unsure of where the conversation is going. "What?"

She nods in confirmation before leaning forward and placing her mug on the coffee table. "You were in the shower. We were just getting ready for bed when your phone rang. I wasn't sure what I was supposed to do, so I just answered. It was a man by the name of Richard Albot, stating that he was with UNLV and that he was trying to get back in contact with you."

Grissom's head moves a fraction of an inch, almost imperceptibly, but it was a nod nonetheless.

"What's going on, Gil?" Sara asks, hand reaching for his, letting her fingers lace easily with his own.

"I was actually hoping to get a chance to talk to you before he called. It's a bit complicated, Sara, but I think I may have found an excellent opportunity."

"Keep talking," Sara replies, raising an eyebrow as if that wasn't quite the answer she expected.

He looks down at their joined hands and grips hers more tightly, trying carefully to frame his words. "I miss you." He glances away and watches dust motes float carelessly through the air. "It would appear that Mr. Albot is interested in my taking a guest lecturing position at UNLV. While nothing is definite yet, it would give us the opportunity to see each other more often."

Sara takes a few seconds to mull over the new information. "I don't want you to feel any obligation just because of me. What I don't understand though is why couldn't you tell me earlier?"

"Sara—" Grissom runs a hand down the side of her face before coming torest on her shoulder. "I believe it would be a great opportunity. We were waiting for our grant to come through, so it could just be until then. And trust me you are so much more to me than an obligation. I love you."

She smiles and even if in her mind there are still questions about how and if it will work she closes the space between them and gives him a kiss. "I love you, too. I also think that if this is something you believe you should do then I'll support you."

Grissom nods before kissing her again, content in knowing that at least for now everything has fallen in place. "I wouldn't want it any other way."


End file.
